NCAR & UCAR Webcasts - All Categoriesen-ushttp://www.ucar.edu/webcasts
Take a seat in our seminars with these recordings exploring the latest thinking on atmospheric and Earth system science, from computer modeling to implications for society. Some are highly technical, others are accessible to a broad audience.Regional Climate Models: A Critical Adaptation Tool for Communities and Industry - Part 1: Introductionhttp://www.ucar.edu/oga/wmv/S&C_Sept_18_09_Oppenheimer.wmv
Part 1 of 4: The impacts of climate change and climate variability have become increasingly problematic worldwide. These can vary widely with location and ecosystem, affecting both public and private sectors, often in unforeseen ways. As policymakers at national, regional, state and local levels grapple with how to mitigate and adapt to a changing and variable climate, industries must also prepare for and adapt to environmental and weather exigencies. New techniques in climate modeling will enable stakeholders to better predict impacts and prepare for them in a cost-effective way. The purpose of this briefing was to explore the knowledge generated by advanced regional climate modeling, cutting-edge modeling techniques, and the implications for corporate decision makers and regional policymakers. In Part 1 Oppenheimer introduces the key points of the briefing.2009-09-18 11:00:00.0Regional Climate Models: A Critical Adaptation Tool for Communities and Industry - Part 2: High Impact Climate and Weather Prediction Research in Support of Societal Needshttp://www.ucar.edu/oga/wmv/S&C_Sept_18_09_Holland.wmv
Part 2 of 4. Holland outlines current research at the regional climate level.2009-09-18 10:00:00.0Regional Climate Models: A Critical Adaptation Tool for Communities and Industry - Part 3: Benefits of Regional Climate Modeling for the Offshore Oil Industryhttp://www.ucar.edu/oga/wmv/S&C_Sept_18_09_Cooper.wmv
Part 3 of 4. Cooper talks about the benefits of regional climate modeling for the offshore oil industry.2009-09-18 09:00:00.0Regional Climate Models: A Critical Adaptation Tool for Communities and Industry - Part 4: Climate Modeling: A State and Regional Policymaking Perspectivehttp://www.ucar.edu/oga/wmv/S&C_Sept_18_09_Cottrell.wmv
Part 4 of 4. Cottrell discusses climate modeling from a policymaking perspective.2009-09-18 08:00:00.0Sunspots in 3D - Multimedia Galleryhttp://www.ucar.edu/news/releases/2009/sunspotvisuals.shtml
For the first time, NCAR scientists and colleagues have modeled the complex structure of sunspots in a comprehensive 3D computer simulation, giving scientists their first glimpse below the visible surface, or photosphere, of the Sun to understand sunspots' underlying physical processes. 2009-09-08 00:00:00.0Thermosphere Visuals - Multimedia Galleryhttp://www.ucar.edu/news/releases/2006/thermospherevisuals.shtml
Even though emissions of carbon dioxide warm the lower atmosphere, they have the opposite effect on the upper atmosphere. The reason has to do with the difference in density.2009-09-03 00:00:00.0Symposium in Honor of Tom M. L. Wigley - Part 1http://www.fin.ucar.edu/it/mms/webcasts/essl/wigley_symposium1.mov
Morning session - Opening remarks (Ben Santer & Phil Jones; Eric Barron, NCAR; Rick Anthes, UCAR) | Contributions of a plasma physicist to carbonate geochemistry and paleoclimatology: the legacy of Tom Wigley (Niel Plummer, U.S. Geological Survey) | A secret history of the observed surface temperature record (Phil Jones, University of East Anglia) | When is enough, enough? Tom Wigley and the quantitative analysis of proxy climate records (Malcolm Hughes, University of Arizona) | Solar variability and climate change (Peter Foukal, Heliophysics, Inc.) | Sulfate aerosol effects on climate (Bob Charlson, University of Washington) | Volcanic effects on climate (Caspar Ammann, NCAR) | Geoengineering solutions (Ken Caldeira, Carnegie Institution & Stanford University)2009-06-19 00:00:00.0Symposium in Honor of Tom M. L. Wigley - Part 2http://www.fin.ucar.edu/it/mms/webcasts/essl/wigley_symposium2.mov
Afternoon session: Scientific adventures with Tom - Detecting human-induced climate change and the great MSU debate (Ben Santer, Lawrence Livermore National Lab) | Tom Wigley and the dawn of Earth System modeling (Dave Schimel, NCAR) | Obtaining sub-grid-scale information from coarse-resolution General Circulation Model output: "a classic" revisited? (Rob Wilby, Loughborough University) | Impacts of human-induced climate change (Jean Palutikof, Griffith University) | A changing climate for the Great Barrier Reef (Janice Lough, Australian Institute of Marine Science) | General issues in integrated assessment (Jae Edmonds, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) | Stabilization of climate: Can we meet the technological challenge? (Marty Hoffert, New York University) | Concluding remarks (Tom Wigley)2009-06-19 00:00:00.0The Perlan Project and the Future of High Altitude Soaringrtsp://real.ucar.edu/mms/einar_enevoldson/einar_enevoldson.mp4
After an introduction by Joachim Kuettner, Enevoldson describes the flight he and Steve Fossett took to 51,500 feet above the Andes to establish the feasibility of soaring to 100,000 feet in a specialized sailplane. The sailplane successfully climbed through the tropopause and 17,000 feet into the stratosphere. A new pressurized sailplane capable of soaring to 90,000 feet is now under construction. It will have characteristics that may make it an attractive research platform. 2009-06-18 00:00:00.0Implications of Going "Beyond" Sciencehttp://www.fin.ucar.edu/it/mms/webcasts/eol/nsfuw/eric-barron.mov
Baron proposes a deliberate approach to climate change that he calls environmental rationalism. Based on a solid observing system, this approach would aim to both mitigate and adapt to climate change in order to protect life, property, and the planet while promoting economic vitality. However, neither the philosophical underpinnings nor the Earth management sciences needed are in place. Barron outlines five steps he believes are essential in order to meet the challenge. An NSF Facilities User Workshop presentation.2009-06-15 00:00:00.0Scientific and Observational Challenges in Mesoscale and Convective-Scale Meteorologyhttp://www.fin.ucar.edu/it/mms/webcasts/eol/nsfuw/howie-bluestein.mov
Bluestein reviews mesoscale observing systems and what they can and cannot do. Challenges range from increasing coverage, frequency of observation, and spatial resolution to integrating measurements. With the vast amounts of data produced, one of the most important challenges is rapid quality control and editing. An NSF Facilities User Workshop presentation.2009-06-15 00:00:00.0Earth System Observations and Modeling: The Challenges for Tomorrowhttp://www.fin.ucar.edu/it/mms/webcasts/eol/nsfuw/guy-brasseur.mov
Current challenges include predicting climate change, understanding the Earth as a complex interactive system, and unifying diverse models, while new emphases, according to Brasseur, will be geoengineering, short-term climate prediction, and methodologies coupling the natural Earth system to the human system. He anticipates a shift from fundamental research to climate services. An NSF Facilities User Workshop presentation.2009-06-15 00:00:00.0Phone Call to the Extreme - Probing the Depths in the Pacific Oceanhttp://www.fin.ucar.edu/it/mms/webcasts/globe/globe2rvthompson.mov
GLOBE students ask the crew and scientific team on the R/V Thompson research ship about the logistics and science of their mission. The scientists are studying exotic life forms on the seafloor around hydrothermal vents in the western Pacific. Students from four countries participating in NSF's FLEXE program (From Local to Extreme Environments) posed questions. Includes stills and video of deep sea creatures from a previous mission.2009-05-27 00:00:00.0The role of atmospheric rivers in extreme precipitation on the U.S. West Coast: Recent developments on monitoring and short-term predictionrtsp://real.ucar.edu/mms/asp/marty_ralph.mp4
Ralph discusses atmospheric rivers as a key phenomenon in the global water vapor budget and in extreme rainfall events. Heavy precipitation events are difficult to predict, but advances in modeling, observations, and physical understanding are emerging and helping to create tools for forecasters. Reanalysis data, unmanned flights, and field experiments are being planned to explore key scientific questions and to improve predictions. 2009-05-20 00:00:00.0The Discovery of the Solar Wind: A 2000 Year Historyrtsp://real.ucar.edu/mms/asp/eugene_parker.mp4
Many concepts essential for recognition of the hydrodynamic expansion process of the solar corona have developed over the past three millennia. Among these are several controversial ideas and erroneous concepts, including, says Parker, the still widely stated idea that a cloud of collisionless particles cannot be treated as a hydrodynamic fluid. For Parker, the outstanding problem facing space science and solar wind theory is the illusive heating of the solar corona associated with the various phases of the wind.2009-05-12 00:00:00.0Space Plasmas, Magnetic Fields, the Principles of Physics, and Human Naturertsp://real.ucar.edu/mms/asp/e-parker/e-parker.mp4
Parker examines diverse and contrary theories regarding magnetic activity that are based on personal convictions about electric currents and fields. Forgotten, he says, is the fact that there can be no significant electric field in the moving frame of reference of ionized gas. This curious psychological aversion to the conclusions dictated by the basic principles of physics is noteworthy, in Parker's view.2009-05-12 00:00:00.0World's Largest Tornado Experiment - Multimedia Galleryhttp://www.ucar.edu/news/releases/2009/vortex2.jsp
The largest and most ambitious tornado study in history began May 10, 2009, as dozens of scientists deployed radars and other ground-based instruments across the Great Plains to gain a better understanding of these often deadly weather events. 2009-05-04 00:00:00.0River Ice Processeshttp://www.meted.ucar.edu/hydro/basic/RiverIce/
White explores basic river ice processes, including the formation, growth, breakup, and transport of river ice and how it can become jammed, triggering floods. She also covers current ice jam forecasting as well as ice modeling research and development being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.2009-04-13 00:00:00.0Snow Melt Processeshttp://www.meted.ucar.edu/hydro/basic/Snowmelt/
This module helps students develop an understanding of the role of snowmelt in the hydrologic forecasting process. Students will learn about the development and evolution of snowpack, the processes leading up to and during melting, and the fate of melt water from snow. 2009-04-10 00:00:00.0A Briefing on Climate Adaptation Policy Issuesrtsp://real.ucar.edu/mms/oga/hill_briefing/hill_briefing-4-1-2009.mp4
Panelists participating in this UCAR-sponsored briefing discuss how cities are planning to deal with climate change and how the federal government can help in that effort. New York City and Chicago are making progress in their mitigation and adaptation efforts. Other cities are struggling. Panelists advocate a national climate adaptation network so that planning efforts can be more integrated to avoid conflicts over water, land, and other resources. 2009-04-01 00:00:00.0